E-Commerce (such as purchasing goods from an on-line website merchant) has become a standard platform throughout the world. The convenience of shopping from a computer source, through initial product review, to comparison for prices and quality of different sites and products, to ultimate decision and purchase, itself, has altered the merchandising world, to say the least. Although brick and mortar businesses still exist, the ability to make purchases that come to one's door, rather than having to travel to certain businesses physically, creates situations that certain persons would rather avoid. As a result, whether through large-scale distributor websites (such as, for example, AMAZON), or individual sites devoted to specific types of products, e-commerce is here to stay, definitely.
Unfortunately, however, even with certain efficiencies and facilitated purchasing potentials, such e-commerce platforms still suffer from certain drawbacks, particularly as it concerns the purchase of articles that are meant to be worn (clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc, as examples). Determining, from a distance (particularly over an Internet connection), the appropriate size of the offered article is one consideration; additionally, however, aesthetics and even relation to a specific user's own physical traits (for overall appearance, for instance) and even personal tastes may cause certain problems for the purchaser for a product offered on a website. For instance, if a watch is purchased on-line, the chance to appropriately view such an article adorned around a specific user's wrist is lacking, leading to the distinct chance that the purchaser will return the article back to the distributor if any size, shape, or even aesthetic consideration does not meet the purchaser's requirements. In such situations, the costs borne for such an action are typically taken on by the merchant, thereby not only causing a loss of a sale, but also loss in terms of the costs involved with such a return (not to mention return, potentially, at least, of the initial postage and handling costs associated with the initial sale of such a good). Furthermore, the potential for further damages to such a product increase when placed within the mails and handed to and from the initial seller (and, subsequently, the purchaser). Damages would require repair, of course, and may lead to the necessity of informing future potential purchasers of the product's condition, as well.
As it concerns certain products that are offered for adornment around a purchaser's (or possibly provided as a gift to another person by a purchaser) wrist, arm, neck, ankle, etc., as a circular structured article (such as, a watch, necklace, bracelet, anklet, and the like), there exists a number of issues pertaining to e-commerce sales. It is difficult for a purchaser to assess size and shape of such articles from a computer website. Even with a depiction provided on-screen that is of a specific size (or provided in a ratio to actual size and shape), the ability to actually consider the overall appearance when worn is not permitted. As such, purchasers are at a disadvantage in such situations, limiting their actual purchasing choices to articles that are first seen in actual size and shape when delivered physically. For that matter, many potential purchasers may even avoid shopping on-line, all together, due to the lack of proper assessment capabilities through a simple view and click system. Without the potential to compare and contrast through specific placement considerations, size assessments, and appearance concerns, many purchasers will not only avoid on-line activities for such adornments, but may actually undertake more expensive actions through travel to and from certain locations to view and wear such items in person. The possibility that purchasing from an on-line source may lead to returns and general unhappiness with the resultant item may lead to avoidance of such web-based purchases in total.
Additionally, as noted above, these types of purchasing decisions are also susceptible to undesirable returns after the purchaser has the chance to finally review the dimensions and overall look of the purchased article when worn. If the watch, bracelet, necklace, etc., is smaller, larger, etc., than expected, the chances of return to the seller increases, thereby resulting in a lost or delayed sale and potential return to inventory. Furthermore, if, during such an assessment, the item is damaged (such as leather straps stretched, watch face scratched or cracked, etc.), then the seller may prohibit returns. In such asituation, a potential purchaser may avoid such a situation and opt, again, for in-person activities rather than chance a possible undesirable item that may be damaged in their possession.
An improved manner of allowing a potential purchaser pre-sale assessment for such considerations is thus of great interest within such an e-commerce segment. To date, there has yet to be provided any means to permit physical comparisons and considerations to such potential purchasers to best avoid these post-sale problems. The invention herein provides such a needed improvement within this e-commerce marketplace.